1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that generates a two-dimensional image from binocular stereoscopic image data including image data from multiple perspectives.
2. Description of the Related Art
In one prior art example, a method of displaying a binocular stereoscopic three-dimensional image involves presenting a right/left vision binocular image made up of images from differing perspectives of which image is divided with respect to a viewer's right vision and left vision to thereby provide binocular parallax and enable stereoscopic vision. As an example of a method of generating a two-dimensional image from an arbitrary perspective based on such a three dimensional image, a method of generating a two-dimensional image that has a seemingly natural appearance is proposed, for example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-324249 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-56407.
When viewing a binocular stereoscopic image, depth perception owing to binocular parallax is in effect in addition to normal depth perception from viewing a two-dimensional image. Thereby the viewer feels a sensation that is different from that felt upon viewing a normal two-dimensional image.
The two-dimensional image generation methods described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-324249 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-56407 merely involve reproducing a two-dimensional image from a given perspective within a space, and thereby, a sensation perceptually similar to that felt upon viewing a binocular stereoscopic image as described above cannot be felt upon viewing a two-dimensional image produced according to these methods.